President Bola Tinubu has again cautioned state governors against breaching the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy, reiterating that continued non-compliance may prompt federal intervention.
President Tinubu gave the warning on during the 15th National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
Speaking about governors withholding statutory allocations meant for local councils, the President warned that non-compliance may force him to directly allocate local council funds from the Federation Account Allocation Committee.
“You elected them. since you elected them, it means you know them, you are responsible for their survivor, but the Supreme Court has capped it for you again, saying, give them their money directly.” President Tinubu insisted.
Addressing the NEC members, including governors, National Working Committee members, and other party leaders, President Tinubu said, “We know the percentage, and I’ve said it to the account. I’m just being very respectful and understanding with my governors. Otherwise, if you don’t start to implement it, fact after fact, you will see the ultimate goal is our Supreme Court. We have to comply. We have to respect the judgment.
“”So if you wait for my executive order, because I have the knife, I have the yam,I will cut it before fact, we do the arithmetic,” he stated.
The President’s comments followed the Supreme Court’s July 11, 2024, landmark ruling that affirmed the Federal Government’s suit aimed at securing financial independence for local governments.
A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court unanimously declared that state governments cannot constitutionally manage or retain funds meant for local government councils.
The court ordered the direct payment of allocations from the Federation Account to local governments, a practice provided for in Section 162(5-8) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) but widely flouted by most state governments through joint accounts.